Users can easily sign their posts at the end of a comment. Signing is normally done on talk pages only, not on conjointly written articles.
Default signature options[]
There are three default options. Four tildes are a full signature, which should be used for most signing. Typing three tildes results in a username-only signature (without timestamp). Typing five tildes results in a pure timestamp (without username).
| Function | Wiki markup | Resulting wiki code | Resulting display |
|---|---|---|---|
| Signature plus timestamp | ~~~~
|
[[User:Username|Username]] ([[User talk:Username|talk]]) 19:24, 10 June 2015 (UTC)
|
Username (talk) 19:24, 10 June 2015 (UTC) |
| Signature alone | ~~~
|
[[User:Username|Username]] ([[User talk:Username|talk]])
|
Username (talk) |
| Timestamp alone | ~~~~~
|
19:24, 10 June 2015 (UTC)
|
19:24, 10 June 2015 (UTC) |
If you edit without logging in, the link to your username will be replaced with a link to your IPs contributions and talk page. Usernames and IP addresses are also stored in page histories as a record of who wrote what, so others can always verify signatures.
The common format to type a signature – two hyphens (or a long dash) followed by four tildes (-- ~~~~) – is derived from the computer network Usenet, where two hyphens mark a signature block. Note that the hyphens or dash are not inserted automatically and have to be entered (unless you customize your signature to include them, see an example in the next section).
The actual signature string, the tildes, automatically get substituted with username (linked to the appropriate user page) and timestamp (time/date), when you save a signed edit. This helps other users to follow the chronological order of discussions, and to identify the author of a particular comment. If you don't find the tilde on your keyboard, you can use the signature button 
of the default edit toolbar as a typing aid.
Signatures do not work in edit summaries (they do not translate from ~~~~ there).
Note that timestamps are currently formatted by default and saved according to the default locale conventions (language, script, date and time format) used on each wiki, and not according to the conventions of your current preferred language.
Customized signatures[]
Registered users can customize their signature (the part between the two hyphens and the timestamp) by changing the field "New signature:" in their preferences. Remember that the primary purpose of a signature is user identification to facilitate communication, they are not an expression of your creativity.
By default, anything you enter there will simply replace the title for the link to your userpage, while still displaying the talk link afterwards.
To use a special formatting (without this automatic link), you have to enable “Raw signatures.” Then you can add wiki markup and also HTML (as far as allowed on the wiki) as you like, but the maximum length is 255 characters and the signature is required to meet the rules listed below. Please note that striking signatures are often disliked by other users.
If you enable “Raw signatures” but don't add any customized signature string, you'll sign with your unlinked username, which is disallowed on most wikis.
| Purpose | Raw signature | Resulting signature display (generated by four tildes) |
|---|---|---|
| Embedding the dashes in the signature |
|
-- Username (talk) 19:24, 10 June 2015 (UTC) |
| Adapting the displayed username to your convenience |
|
Preferred User Name (talk) 19:24, 10 June 2015 (UTC) |
Signature rules[]
Signatures should comply with these specifications:
- No taller than 19px (including text.)
- No more than one image.
- No animations.
- No templates or transclusions of pages.
- Do not display the identity of another unrelated user account, unless you also own this account.
- The link should unambiguously point to your effective user page or talk page on the wiki.